


of when we were young

by kay_emm_gee



Series: the kids aren't alright (The 100 tumblr prompts) [94]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, School Reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-28
Updated: 2016-05-28
Packaged: 2018-07-10 19:14:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7001770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kay_emm_gee/pseuds/kay_emm_gee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She startled when someone called out her name from behind. Bracing herself, Octavia turned, surprise filling her when she saw Atom there. He had his hands in his pockets, suit jacket-clad shoulders hunched warily as he smiled at her.</p><p>“Long time no see?” he joked weakly, and she took in a sharp breath.</p><p>The years had been kind to him, making what had been cute in high school now handsome in his late twenties. His hair was still unruly curls, but in an attractive instead of careless way. No more glasses, and no more overly baggy clothes. Octavia stood, unsure whether to shake his hand or pull him into a hug or do nothing at all.</p><p>{ Prompt: 'Atom + Octavia as ex-high school sweethearts who didn't necessarily end well, didn't stay in touch, are nervous/curious to see each other again, but are really just happy for each others happiness at a 10 year reunion. (Could be Linctavia endgame but not the focus). idk he was ultimately part of O's first bit of happiness on Earth, so I feel like Atom should get a little happiness for himself too at least once.' }</p>
            </blockquote>





	of when we were young

Not for the first time, Octavia wished Lincoln was here with her. Her not-quite-so modest black dress was proving to be uncomfortable, the gym smelled atrocious–as it had when she had transferred in as a sophomore–and the decorations looked like they had seen a dozen reunions before hers. Ten years was a long time to catch up on, so she and her former classmates should have had plenty to talk about. Small talk was boring though, and not nearly enough people she cared about had shown up.

So Octavia sat alone in a rickety folding chair at a half-empty table and sipped on her serving of cherry red vodka punch, wishing her boyfriend had come back to her hometown with her. He would’ve made her smile, and she would’ve made him laugh from stories of her as a teenager. She knew his art show trumped her high school reunion though, so she resisted texting him that she missed him. He deserved a night off from worrying about her.

She startled when someone called out her name from behind. Bracing herself, Octavia turned, surprise filling her when she saw Atom there. He had his hands in his pockets, suit jacket-clad shoulders hunched warily as he smiled at her.

“Long time no see?” he joked weakly, and she took in a sharp breath.

The years had been kind to him, making what had been cute in high school now handsome in his late twenties. His hair was still unruly curls, but in an attractive instead of careless way. No more glasses, and no more overly baggy clothes. Octavia stood, unsure whether to shake his hand or pull him into a hug or do nothing at all.

“Ten years, right?” she answered with a vague smile instead. Atom had always made her feel safe, steady–it was what drew her to him in the first place–and it bothered her that she felt so unsteady around him now. Not surprising, given that she had either screamed at him or ignored him their last semester of school (except that last night) after he had broken up with her because of her brother’s threats.

Atom seemed to be thinking along those lines too. He rubbed the back of his neck and asked, “So, how’s Bellamy? Still scaring off your boyfriends?”

“He tries,” Octavia said wryly. “But I’m better at standing my ground now.”

“You were already pretty good at that. I’m a little scared to know you’ve gotten even better.”

She ducked her head and smiled shyly. That was another thing she had always liked about Atom–his honest but kind bluntness.

A slightly awkward silence fell over them, and after a moment, they both laughed nervously.

“You seeing anybody?” He finally asked.

Octavia lifted her left hand and wiggled her fingers at him. “Engaged. A few months ago.”

Atom grinned softly. “Lucky…guy?”

“Very lucky guy,” she confirmed. “You?”

He mimicked her movement, the shine of his wedding ring catching her eye. “She’s pretty great.”

“She’d have to be, if she caught your eye.” Octavia winced. “Sorry, that came out way weirder and more self-complementary that I intended. Seriously, I meant that like–”

He cut her off with a chuckle. “I know what you meant.”

Octavia bit her lip as she grinned. “You think we would’ve left all the awkward in high school.”

Atom raised his brows as he looked around the room, filled with their half-drunk classmates who were half-heartedly reminiscing and way too whole-heartedly dancing to songs that brought back memories of braces and corsages and first tastes of beer and liquor. “I think we might be the least awkward ones here actually.”

It went easier after that, and his eyes sparkled with amusement when she slipped over to the refreshments table and filled up two empty plastic water bottles with punch without anyone noticing. He turned towards the door just as she finished, and Octavia followed. She knew exactly where they were going to end up.

The plastic of their bottles crunched dully as they clinked them together on the gym roof. This had been Octavia’s refuge at first, the one quiet place in the school she had come to when being a transfer student, an outsider, had been too much to handle. Then it had been their study spot once she had let her guard down enough for Atom to befriend her; then it had been their makeout spot.

This is where she had cried about him–alone once again–when he had broken her heart, and where she had been pissed at him for being so good at apologizing, for telling her it was just Bellamy’s words, for making her realize that they were just _eighteen_ and had their whole lives ahead of them. This is where she burrowed into his side the night before graduation, hating and loving him at the same time.

This had always been there spot, and so even now, with years and separate lives and new loves between them, it felt just right that they were here tonight.

“You can’t see the stars in the city,” she whispered when they were much tipsier and lying down on their backs, side by side, staring up at the night sky. “It’s the only thing I miss about this place.”

“The only thing?” he joked warmly.

Octavia laughed. “I wouldn’t miss you if you’d call me sometime.”

“Maybe I will.”

She smiled, even though he wasn’t looking at her. “Maybe you will.”


End file.
